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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. spring — the season
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. spring — of water
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. spring — a coil
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com